FILM REVIEWS

We appreciated " The Merchant of Venice" a lot. I think the plot is amazing it's catchy and attractive because there is very good acting. Michael Radford respected the comedy of Shakespeare. My favorite character in the movie is Shylock. It the beginning the usurer defends his Jewish faith because he was victim of anti-semitism and it’s a moving scene. But as the film developed I started being against him because I found his excessive character and his maliciousness make him reprehensible. I would have prefered him to die rather than he renounce to his religion. Nevertheless that was his punishment.

Written by Elsa Loysier

The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, written between 1596 and 1597. It shared certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic scenes. I personally liked the movie even if it's very long! It's true that sometimes it's a little bit boring but the acting is perfect and very impressive! Al Pacino's acting is amazing, every scene with Shylock is catching the viewers. I could have not guessed the ending! So I highly recommend you to watch the movie, you won't be disappointed.

Written by Pauline Bougot

VA, VIS ET DEVIENS

Photo of the film

Va, vis et deviens (go, live and become) is an Israeli and French film. It was directed by Radu Mihaileanu in 2005.

The movie takes place in 1964 when millions of Africans are in dire straits because of the starvation and also the war. To save the most people, Israel and the United states create a mission named « the Moses operation ». They will take the Jewish Ethiopian to Israel to give them a new life.

The story is about a young Ethiopian boy named Schlomo. He lived in a refugee camp with his mother. Therefore to save Schlomo, his mother pushed him to leave and pretend to be a Jewish orphan. After lying to everyone, he finally arrived in Israel where the customs are completely different from his country and so he doesn’t know how to adapt to this new life. One day he is adopted by a French family.

To survive Schlomo has to hide the truth : he is neither a Jew and nor an orphan, he is just an African boy. He is torn between his former life because he misses his mother and wants to go back to her, and his new life with his new family, which has just begun.
During the movie we will see Schlomo growing up. We will see the hard moments like the happy ones. Va, vis et deviens is a dark but hopeful drama, it’s also a profound film about tolerance, racism and wars.

We chose this film because it's a very moving, strong and heart touching one that gives a beautiful lesson of courage. Moreover it is based on real facts so it gives more power to the lesson.

The film's music is absolutely beautiful and takes us into a whirlwind of feelings and gives even more emotions.

A small tear even fell at the end of the film because it's so moving.

Written by Romy Belamich, Loane Vu, Lyna Allet

INVICTUS

This is a movie that includes a lot of important topics, like racism and freedom. The story takes place in South Africa during the 1995 World Cup of rugby.

Nelson Mandela has been the first black President for just a year and now, after more than 70 years of Apartheid, the blacks are allowed to vote and have a free life.

One of the goals of the President is to unite the population because there are still fights between blacks and whites.

A form of unification is the national rugby team which has to win the competition.

Mandela is interested in the future of the team and hopes they will win the trophy, which would contribute to strengthening the national pride and unifying the country.

Early in the film the team struggles because it is composed by black and white people that have never played together before. In the second part of the movie the team members start to trust each other and have a win streak that continues until the final match. In their journey they manage to beat the All Blacks(the world’s best team). With that victory South Africa's divisions end thanks to an incredible team effort so Mandela is able to reach his goal.

From our point of view this is a sport movie that teaches how to overcome racism and that only a race exists.

Written by Riccardo Minghetti, Mauro Donolato, Vittorio Smajato, Cristian Sarto

Pic of the movie "Invictus"

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

Life is Beautiful was directed by Roberto Benigni in 1997 and was awarded with an Academy Award as Best Film. It is the story of the Nazi war and a concentration camp seen with a child’s eyes. We might wonder why a movie about the Holocaust can have the title Life is Beautiful. As the story progresses we understand why. Guido, the protagonist, who is Roberto Benigni himself, lives in Tuscany in 1939 and is a Jew. He does everything he can to impress a schoolteacher called Dora, who is supposed to marry a rich middle-class man.Guido tries to conquer her by making her laugh and by taking her by surprise. Once he even “kidnaps” her during a party, making her get on a horse and riding away. Eventually they become husband and wife. Later the couple has a son named Joshua. But the racial laws are soon enforced by Mussolini and Guido is taken to a concentration camp together with his son. His wife will follow them for love. From now on Guido makes his son believe that the concentration camp is just a fun game. The idea of saving a child from horror making him believe that it is all a game is original and strong. Moreover, the balance between drama and comedy is perfect. Although it is a very sad and tragic theme, the author manages to make it light and even comic in some parts. That explains the title, which might first seem absurd. The film can be divided into two distinct parts: the first is about the romance between Guido con Dora. The very dramatic second part takes place entirely in a Nazi lager in Trieste. What is most surprising about the film is its sweetness, but also the ability to make people reflect.

Written by Asia Cotali, Asia Zabeo, Chiara Ochs

A BAG OF MARBLES

I would like to to review one of my favorite film: A Bag of Marbles. It is the adventure of a Jewish kid named Joseph Joffo and of his older brother Maurice escaping the Nazi persecution in occupied France.I am very interested in movies about the Holocaust and the second world war. I found it beautiful, delicate, moving, excruciating - even more so knowing it is a true story. I have no words to explain how much I loved this movie. I really like the relationship between the two brothers: they always help each other. The film is about terrible events but it mixes comedy and tragedy well. It conveys a beautiful message, it moved me to tears. If you like this movie you cannot not love also The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Life is Beautiful.

Written by Aurora Righetto

A DOG'S TALE

Picture of the movie "A Dog's Tale"

In the 2009 American movie A Dog’s Tale directed by Lasse Hallström, Richard Gere plays the role of a music professor, who picks up a dog, Hachiko, on a train platform on a cold winter evening and he will never separate himself from him until the day of his death.

The film is based on the true story of a faithful dog called Akita Inu, whose name became Hachiko in the movie.

The story is told by Ronnie, the main character’s grandson. He has to give a presentation of a personal hero at school and he chooses his grandfather's dog, Hachiko. While his classmates are giggling, he tells how his grandfather, Professor Parker Wilson, found a lost puppy at the train station and ended up taking it home aiming to returning the animal to its owner. He named the puppy Hachiko.

Even though they do not find his owner and his wife Cate does not think they should keep him, they do. Over the next year Parker and Hachi become very close. He tries to teach him dog-like activities like chase and fetch but Hachiko refuses to learn.

One morning, Parker leaves for work and Hachi follows him to the train station and refuses to leave until the man comes home.When Parker returns he is surprised to find the dog waiting for him, but it then becomes a daily routine.One day, Hachi is patiently waiting for the train to arrive, but there is no sign of Parker. He keeps waiting, although everyone tries to tell him that Parker has died, hit by a heart attack. Hachi does not understand and continues returning to the station and waits day after day.At the end of the film, Cate sells the house and Hachi is sent to live with her daughter Andy, Michael, and their baby Ronnie.

Richard Gere’s performance is amazing, he manages to move the audience deeply and to send a message: he makes people understand the wonderful relationship that can develop between man and dog.The intent of the director is to bring to life a timeless story, which is about dedication and friendship, a simple story that contains a great message, which touches people’s hearts. We absolutely loved this movie because it is one of the few films that are about the special bond that can develop between an animal and a human being. Hachiko and his story teaches how all animals are the best beings in the world, and if sometimes, they behave "aggressively”, it is only because of our behaviour towards them.

Sometimes animals can be better than men!

Written by Beatrice Barolo, Alice Carraro, Andrea Mazziotti, Silvia Trolese

Two is a Family

Picture of the movie "Two is a Family"

Two is a family is a melodramatic French film directed by Hugo Gelin.

The main characters are:

- Samuel ( Omar Sy) : Gloria's father.

-Gloria ( Gloria Calston) : a child abandoned by her mother when she was only 3 months old.

- Kristin (Clémence Poésy) : Gloria's mother

It is the story of man who loves his freedom and has a fear of commitment but one day he suddenly and surprisingly finds out to be the father of a child whose name is Gloria and has been abandoned by her mother Kristin . Samuel isn't ready to be a father but he decides to keep and raise Gloria with Bernie's help. As time goes by Samuel discovers that his daughter has an incurable illness. Eight years later Kristin appears and wants to take Gloria with her but Samuel doesn't agree . So they go to Court for the child custody and Gloria has to live with her mother. Gloria escapes with Samuel. Kristin tries to stop them but Bernie tells Kristin the truth about Gloria's illness.

This is a beautiful film yet sad at the same time. It teaches us that love can be so strong to the point of lying for the good of a loved one. We recommend watching it as a life-lesson to never give up.

We find it admirable that Gloria helps her dad in every way.. the feeling of love that binds Gloria and Samuel is an incredible thing because they are inseparable and that’s how relations should be and we admire this thing a lot.

Written by Elisa Bernardi, Gaia Santello, Alessandra Zilio